Welcome

About Us

We are a cohesive team of highly experienced financial professionals from a broad range of disciplines. We combine our talents to help some of the most prominent families in Mexico, and other Latin American countries, addressing the complex, multigenerational challenges of managing significant wealth.

The interests of our clients always go first as we seek to build long-term relationships based on personal integrity, professional competence, and mutual trust.

NY Alta Group:

The strength, stability and resources of global financial services leader with more than 150 years of heritage, high capital strength and focus on Private Wealth Management

Integrated team approach: NY Alta Group operates as an exclusive Private Wealth Management boutique within the firm, providing institutional-type coverage to large family offices and private clients

Senior Private Wealth Advisors with 15+ years of experience in the industry, long track record as a cohesive team covering some of the most sophisticated families in the Latin American Market. Focused team with limited number of clients and deep coverage capabilities

About PWM

About PWM

Founded in 1977, Private Wealth Management is the division of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management that is dedicated to serving the firm’s most affluent clients, including some of the world’s most accomplished entrepreneurs, executives and stewards of multigenerational wealth. Functioning as an exclusive investment boutique within a global financial firm, we deliver sophisticated solutions that leverage the intellectual capital and insight of Morgan Stanley’s substantial global resources. Drawing on a deep understanding of your financial life, our goal is to help you:

Manage investments with an unwavering focus on your financial strategy and personal goals

Create comprehensive, multigenerational wealth management plans based on your needs, challenges and the values that guide your life and legacy

Simplify financial complexity to help you achieve clarity and control

Private Wealth Management Highlights

Approximately 250 teams1 specialized in assisting individuals and families with $20MM+ in investable assets

Over $300 billion in AUM2

Comprising over 20% of the Barron’s Top 100 Financial Advisors list for 20163

Direct access to ultra high net worth experts in philanthropy, family dynamics, wealth transfer, lifestyle advisory and other areas of interest to ultra high net worth families

Approach

Approach

Discovery Process Investing the time to learn about you and your family; your assets and liabilities and the risk exposures, enables us to formulate strategies and customize the relationship to your needs. Formulation of Tax, Trust and Estate StrategyWorking with your tax and legal advisors, we help analyze your income and estate tax circumstances to identify and tailor planning techniques that may be used to address your objectives.

Integration of Tactical Asset AllocationShort-term adjustments seek to capitalize on temporary market distortions. Before making adjustments, we analyze the impact of taxes and trading costs on potential returns.

Implementation of a Customized Wealth StrategyAfter comprehensive due diligence and analysis of expected results across multiple market scenarios, strategies are chosen from our expansive investment platform.

Ongoing AssessmentIn coordination with your other advisors, we can conduct ongoing reviews and comprehensive reporting to ensure that your strategy adapts to changing financial and family needs.

Our strength and synergies across each of these businesses not only contributes to the economic vitality and stability of the firm, but also expands the vast resources, expertise and global insight that we can offer you.

Morgan Stanley Franchise Power

$2.1tn in client assets under management1

Morgan Stanley reported revenues of $9Bn1

Nearly 56,000 global employees1

Global footprint includes 1,200 offices in 31 countries on six continents1

Tier 1 risk-based capital Ratio under U.S. Basel III was approximately 19%1

Location

Location

399 Park Ave 12th Fl

New York, NY 10022

Meet the Professionals

Leo Biagini

Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor

About Me

Based in New York, Leo Biagini is a financial advisor focused in portfolio management. He has more than 18 years of experience in the financial industry, most recently as Managing Director in Private Wealth Management at Credit Suisse and JPMorgan, covering UHNW clients in Latin America, with a particular focus in the Mexican market. After his MBA he spent 4 years at Citigroup Private Bank as an investment counselor. Originally from Argentina, Leo started his career at The Exxel Group, a Private Equity group. He holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the Universidad de Buenos Aires.

Leo makes his home in Greenwich, CT with his wife Cecilia, and their three children.

Fernando Massaro

Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor

About Me

A global investment advisor with over 15 years of experience, Fernando Massaro provides investment advice to some of the most prominent families in Mexico. Assisting his clients in managing portfolios on both a discretionary and non-discretionary basis, Fernando concentrates on hedging strategies, tactical investments, risk management, diversification strategies, macroeconomic analysis and active trading. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Fernando served in a similar capacity at Credit Suisse. He began his career at JP Morgan, where he worked for more than 10 years advising ultra high net worth Mexican families. Fernando holds a bachelor’s degree in economics with honors and an MBA in finance from New York University.

During his free time, Fernando likes to spend time with his family and fly small planes. He holds a private pilot license.

Victor Palafox

Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor

About Me

Based in Houston, Victor Palafox advises an exclusive clientele of prominent Mexican families in the management of their assets. Victor brings over 18 years of wealth management and fixed income trading experience to the service of his clients. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Victor served as a Private Banker and Managing Director at Credit Suisse. Previously he worked on a similar position in JPMorgan Private Bank, heading the Houston office for more than 8 years and, prior to that, he worked at Banamex on the proprietary emerging markets fixed income desk. Victor is a graduate of the School of Business & Economics of the Universidad Anáhuac (Norte) of the State of Mexico.

Victor resides in Houston, Texas with his wife, April, and their six children.

Rodrigo Morales

Vice President, Private Wealth Advisor

About Me

Rodrigo Morales is an investment professional at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management. Rodrigo covers the HNW segment in Mexico and is responsible for providing investment advice and managing clients’ portfolios. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Rodrigo accumulated more than 10 years of experience managing client portfolios at Credit Suisse and JP Morgan’s Private Bank. Rodrigo holds an Executive MBA from Columbia University’s Business School in New York and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics with honors from the ITESM (Tec de Monterrey).

Ariel Bengio

Portfolio Management Associate

About Me

Based in New York, Ariel Bengio is an investments associate at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management. Ariel supports the team’s advisors by providing investment advice, assisting in the management of their clients’ portfolios, and performing investment vehicle due diligence. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Ariel was at J.P. Morgan Investment Management where he covered asset managers across the US, supporting them in their fund selection and portfolio construction processes. Prior to that, Ariel was a Global Investments Analyst at J.P. Morgan Private Bank covering clients Latin America. Ariel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in both Economics and International Relations from Boston University and is currently pursuing his MBA at Columbia Business School.

Ariel is originally from Madrid, Spain, and lives in Manhattan with his wife. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and tennis.

Guillermo Ramirez

Analyst, Private Wealth Management

About Me

Guillermo Ramirez is an Investment Analyst who assists the team’s clients by exploring investment opportunities and managing and monitoring their portfolios. Guillermo is also responsible of analyzing and informing the team on expected monthly investment perspectives and providing investment ideas for these changes in global trends.

Guillermo graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and a Business Minor. He enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, and playing soccer.

Nicolas Jubera

Analyst, Private Wealth Management

About Me

Nicolas Jubera is an Investment Analyst supporting the team’s clients by developing and implementing fundamental and tactical investment strategies, managing and monitoring portfolios, and providing risk analysis. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley full-time, Nicolas worked at Merrill Lynch, where he supported the Management Team at the New York International Office.

Nicolas graduated summa cum laude from New York Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and International Business. In his free time, he enjoys skiing and playing tennis.

Jean Blanco

Portfolio Associate

About Me

Jean Blanco is a Portfolio Associate at the New York Alta Group, a leading Private Wealth Management team Morgan Stanley.

Jean has 17 years of experience in the wealth management industry, of which the last 7 years have been with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Over the span of his career he has worked closely with some of the most sophisticated clients in Latin America, covering ultra-high net worth individuals, family offices, funds and corporations.

Jean has become a seasoned expert in client service, administration and operations, being a key resource to the team and the group’s clients.

He will obtain his Bachelor’s degree in Public Affairs at Baruch College City University of New York (CUNY) in the fall of 2018. He holds Series 7 and 63 licenses and speaks English and Spanish.

Juarez Gualberto

Client Service Associate

About Me

Prior to joining the team, Juarez relocated from Florida where he worked with HSBC as a Premier Relationship Manger. He has over 7 years of experience in the financial industry managing relationships of domestic and international clients.

Born and raised in Florianopolis, Brazil. Juarez now lives in Manhattan with his wife Monique.

Dow
-395.78

25017.44

5:03PM

Nasdaq
-219.39

7028.48

5:15PM

S&P 500
-45.54

2690.73

5:03PM

Market Information Delayed 20 Minutes

The securities/instruments, investments and investment strategies discussed on this website may not be suitable for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment or investment strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. The views and opinions expressed on this website may not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). This website and its associated content are intended for U.S. residents only.

Morgan Stanley and its Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Visitors to this website should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.

Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Advisers may only transact business in states where they are registered or excluded or exempted from registration. Transacting business, follow-up and individualized responses involving either effecting or attempting to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, will not be made to persons in states where Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Advisers are not registered or excluded or exempt from registration.

See the Financial Advisors Biographies for Registration and Licensing information.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is a registered Broker/Dealer, Member SIPC, and not a bank. Where appropriate, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC has entered into arrangements with banks and other third parties to assist in offering certain banking related products and services.